For most of a decade, elder holland has read the book of mormon repeatedly and thoroughly, focusing on all references to the savior and his teachings. In christ, our new covenant head and substitute, our sin is fully paid for and the spirits work of new creation is secured. But elder holland is among the very best writers and speakers in the mormon church. My current understanding of new covenant theology is really the result of a theological journey that began many years ago. Introducing a major new doctrinal work written by elder jeffrey r. And then he takes us back to jeremiah 31 and this long and glorious quote that runs in the second half from verse 4 to. Palmer robertson, is a book about the many scriptural covenants. A christian cannot wage very fruitful spiritual warfare against the constant attacks of satan against them, until they understand and appropriate their covenant rights with god in christ. The blood of the new covenant how the sacrifice of jesus christ is fulfilling the new covenant promise of salvation and eternal life. Some chapters had a devotional talk feel and in fact were expansions of elders hollands. I believe it is vitally important for the church of jesus christ to comprehend the new covenant as we face the coming perilous times. Murrell study to show thyself approved unto god, a workman that needeth not.
The transition in eden from the covenant of works to the covenant of grace, and the further transition from all that was involved in the preliminary old form of that covenant to its final new form, brought in through the death of jesus christ and now administered by. Holland christ and the new covenant chapter 2 rending the veil of unbelief as noted earlier, most of the book of mormon account comes from the period before jesus birth into mortality. Jesus christ is the mediator of the new covenant, and his death on the cross is the basis of the promise luke 22. The benefactor of this new covenant is the lord jesus christ. Christ, the law and the covenants sabbath school lesson 10. I bear witness that the book of mormon is a new covenant, a new testament from the new world. The relationship between the ot and the nt, the law and the gospel, the old covenant and the new is one. Jeffery holland is extremely knowledgeable about his subject matter. It taught me to love the lord jesus christ, to glimpse his merciful compassion, and to consider the grace and grandeur of his atoning sacrifice. Not surprisingly, then, one of the special contributions of this record is the knowledge it conveys about the regal role of the premortal christ. The plain and more accessible writings of nephi, jacob, abinadi, and christ. This book deals exclusively with the temporal elements of all biblical previous covenants, especially those of the mosaic covenant, in light of the new covenant. Numerous church leaders, including elder jeffrey r.
The son of god is our bridge, our only pathway to god the father. It was mans disobedience to god that has kept him a slave to sin. The new testament covenant the scriptures teach that god found fault with the old covenant and decided to write a new one heb. Likewise, christ embodies the new covenant between god and man. We should not underestimate the reality of our unity with christ. In the new covenant, the will of god is inscribed on our heart, internally, experientially, in the sense that whatever god requires of us in terms of our obedience he provides for us in terms of the spirits internal, enabling power. The sacrifice of jesus christ opened the way for the fulfilling of gods plan of sa lvation for all mankind. He served as the ninth president of brigham young university and is a member of the quorum of the twelve apostles of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church.
The messianic message of the book of mormon holland, jeffrey r. First of all, the writer of hebrews, is saying that the new covenant is a better covenant. Because i learned for myself that the book of mormon is a true witness. He is to be cut by means of his willing, voluntary offering of his own body. This book is an excellent reference manual for anyone seriously wanting to get better acquainted with the lord jesus christ and the prophesies concerning his role before, during, and after his mortal life. Some chapters had a devotional talk feel and in fact were expansions of elders hollands previously given addresses and other chapters felt more. In its message of faith in christ, hope in christ, and charity in christ, the book of mormon is gods new covenant to his childrenfor the last time. He is one of the few people i really trust to tell it like it is. Keys in a law of love the love most often spoken of in the bible is an outgoing concern for others as demonstrated by our actions and more meaningful than mere feelings. We have noted that the covenant of redemption is the foundation for all of the covenants. Thus, as believers living under the new covenant rather than the old, christians are required to follow the law only as it comes to us through the grid of jesus christ, the laws lord and fulfiller zaspel qtd.
The new covenant law and the law of christ femi adeyemi t he first article in this threepart series noted that the new covenant, promised in jeremiah 31. Jrh christ and the new covenant chapter 2 elder jeffrey r. Jesus new covenant forgiveness jesus new covenant is a promise of gods grace. Holland quorum of the twelve aposttles clearly, christ under the direct ion of his fatheris the father of creation, the creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are.
Hollands christ and the new covenant sets forward to show how jesus christ is the central and commanding figure in the book of mormon. One of these bless ings is the inner appropriation of god. The ark of the covenant contained things that embodied the covenant. A testimony, a covenant, and a witness church of jesus christ. What the law could not do for us, our lord jesus christ has done by his life, death, and resurrection 147. There are several reasons in which the new covenant is better than the old and i want to pro pose a few from this text alone this morning. Compare elder hollands comments here with the observation by joseph m. What is the difference between the old and the new. The new covenant is so much better than the old because now, by faith, we claim the promises of forgiveness offered to us through the sacrifice of jesus. The blessings of the new covenant a better covenant 1. The term covenant plays an integral part in the christian faith. The economy of the covenants between god and man by herman. It is a part of the package that goes along with being joint heirs with christ.
All of gods covenants found their fulfillment in the son of god who became the. Holland of the quorum of the twelve apostles has taught that the key to receiving divine power to overcome opposition and move the church forward is the covenant we make in the temple. But, plainly, the church today partakes of theone new covenant that jeremiah predicted. Under the new covenant, jesus christ provided his own body on the cross as a sacrifice that would purify once, for all time, those who had faith hebrews 10. He directs us for a moment away from the christ of the new covenant to the new covenant itself and says you can see the superiority of the christ of the new covenant by looking at the promises of the new covenant. Foreword the final title in psalm 45 publications themes in theology series, dispensationalism and covenant theology, is the most polemic of the four. Well have it back up and running as soon as possible. Brother holland s comprehensive study documents why this ancient nephite record is truly another testament of jesus christ. Elder hollands comprehensive study documents why this ancient nephite record is truly another testament. Faith is to agree unconditionallyand in advanceto whatever conditions god may require in both the near and distant future christ and the new covenant 1997, 1819. The transition in eden from the covenant of works to the covenant of grace, and the further transition from all that was involved in the preliminary old form of that covenant to its final new form, brought in through the death of jesus christ and now administered by him from his throne, are the key events in the covenant story.
Jeffrey roy holland born december 3, 1940 is an american educator and religious leader. The new covenant unquestionably provides a better relationship with god than the relationship portrayed only symbolically in the former covenant. Jan 06, 2015 written almost 20 years ago, elder jeffrey r. A testimony, a covenant, and a witness church of jesus. The new covenant of jesus 10 things you should know. The superiority of christ s priesthood necessitated a new covenant between god and man. It is often thought of as an eschatological ultimate destiny of humanity messianic age or world to come. The covenant itslef is not a one time event, its ratification was. The old covenant isnt replaced by the new covenant but is fulfilled by the new covenant.
The old covenant was based upon a nation chosen by grace see deuteronomy 7. The christian and the new covenant bunyan ministries. Finding doctrine and meaning in the book of mormon isaiah byu. Elder and sister holland identify the most important figure in the. Christ is our salvation, and the book of mormon declares that message unequivocally to the world. Our lord, jesus christ, is the mediator of the new covenant.
New covenant 5 galatians 4 22 for it is written that abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. Understanding the new covenant david wilkerson sermon index. A testimony, a covenant, and a witness the church of jesus. The book of mormon is the sacred expression of christs full and final covenant with mankind. Holland, a member of the quorum of the twelve apostles, features the role of jesus christ as the principal and commanding figure in the book of mormon, from first chapter to last.
The roles of jesus christ in fulfilling heavenly fathers. We have a new and better covenant and we are a people of that covenant. As a proponent of new covenant theology and the founder of indepth studies,1 it is exciting for me to be able to write the foreword to this book. Behold, days are coming, declares the lord, when i will make a new covenant with the house of israel and with the house of judah, not like the covenant which i made with their fathers in the day i took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of egypt, my covenant which they broke, although i was a husband to them, declares the lord. The new covenant or new testament is the promise that god makes with humanity that he will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward him. Through his death, jesus ratified the new covenant, which enables every sinner. Holland who shares his apostolic witness of the central figure of the book of mormon the lord jesus christ. The sacrifice of jesus christ opened the way for the fulfilling of gods plan of salvation for all mankind. In the old testament, blood sacrifices were required for cleansing and atonement when the law was broken.
There is a continuity between the old testament and the new testament. The holy scriptures themselves are divided into an old covenant or testament and a new covenant. Spencer that links the three witnesses nephi, isaiah, jacob with the angelic council. Professor of divinity in the universities of franker, utrecht, and leyden. Various expositors teach that such will be restored in the end of the age or a millennial age.
The mind of christ represents special grace to share in the thoughts, plans and motives of god. Holland, christ and the new covenant salt lake city, ut. Holland, a member of the quorum of the twelve apostles, features the role of jesus christ as the principal and commanding figure in the book of mormon, from first capture to last. A survey of the new testament table of contents chapter 1 in the fullness of time 1 prophecy fulfilled 1 the power of the persians 2 the macedonian empire 2 palestine under the ptolemies 3 the seleucid rulers 5 the maccabees 6 the rise of rome to rule the world 7 roman rulers in new testament times 9 the. Robertson departs from many covenant theologians in refusing to call the precreation divine determination to redeem fallen man an actual covenant, even as he argues for the basic. Therefore, the need for a new covenant and mediator, jesus, hebrews 9. Elder hollands comprehensive study documents why this ancient nephite record is truly another testament of jesus christ. Long extract including the dedication page, preface, contents, chapter 1 and appendix d of a.
Jeremiah prophesied about the new covenant god would make with us. When i was first introduced to the utter centrality to all of life and reality of christ and him crucified the great. Posts about the new covenant written by david bolton and the word in 3d christcentered christianity seeking the restoration of the church to the centrality and supremacy of the lord jesus christ in all things colossians 1. Today we conclude our brief study of the covenants found in the bible. The most important element of the new covenant is the blood of jesus christ. Murrell study to show thyself approved unto god, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. There is hope for us only as we come under the abrahamic covenant, which is the covenant of grace by faith in christ jesus. The superiority of the new covenant first presbyterian. Testifying of jesus christ is a covenant purpose of the book of mormon. His conference talks are always so inspiring to me. The new covenant, however, would be totally different and distinct from the old. The new testament also indicates that the death of christ marked the inauguration of the new covenant pettegrew 181.
Oct 11, 2005 a covenant is an agreement or promise basically. Understanding our covenants with god church of jesus christ. The nature of the new covenant and its implications for the. Holland, christ and the new covenant salt lake city. It is the burning desire of gods heart that disciples of jesus christ understand their covenant rights with god the father through jesus christ the living word. In 1975 i graduated from covenant theological seminary in st. The superiority of christs priesthood necessitated a new covenant between god and man. The paperback of the christ and the new covenant by jeffrey r.
Compare elder holland s comments here with the observation by joseph m. Elder hollands classic examination of jesus christ as the principal and commanding figure in the book of mormon is now available as an. The new covenant the new covenant is the final and fullest expression of gods wonderful character. His style is clear and literate, with little of the bombast favored by less talented churchmen. The messianic message of the book of mormon, elder holland has produced a thorough and readable survey of mormon christology as. What it is and how it differs from covenant theology gary d. The new covenant is a better covenant containing better promises than the old testament covenants.
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